When Mr Flamenco and I visited Venice, it was around mid October and we experienced aqua alta - FLOODING!! We had noticed that every morning the area around Piazza San Marco started flooding, eventually subsiding by lunchtime. On the 3rd day, we were awoken with a siren at 7am, which is the warning of aqua alta that day - severe flooding. We were checking out of our hotel that day and planned to leave our luggage there to collect later, but were told by hotel staff the water would be too high for us to return. We were advised to get up to the railway station and leave our luggage in the lockers there. When we had breakfast at 7.30am the steps of the hotel were already flooded. We duly went to the railway luggage, stored it in lockers and then went back into Venice. Well, the waters rose and rose - we have photos of us thigh deep in water outside the L'Accademia Art Gallery (who wouldn't let anyone in!). The water was cold and I remember seeing lots of fag butts in it - we had to take our shoes off and wade (be careful about accidentally walking into the canal - it does happen). Anyway, we were told that highest point was at the Rialto and we go there to avoid the severe flooding. We waded our way up there, literally, and luckily the boards were not too flooded so we could walk on those. There was a brisk trade of wellie boots going on, at exorbitant prices too! Anyway, the area near the Rialto was relatively dry and we managed to get some lunch (street pizza). Whilst woofing our pizza down, we saw a big rat scurry by, followed by a street cleaner with a big broom, who thwacked the rat to death. Pleasant viewing at lunchtime indeed! Because the flooding was so high, the Grand Canal closed to water traffic and we were beginning to panic about how we were going to get to the airport (out at Treviso - Ryanair jobbie) as we needed to get the airport transfer from the coach station which is up the other end of the Grand Canal. Walking there was impossible. Anyway, the flooding eventually subsided enough for the Canal to reopen and we got the airport fine in the end. It was quite an experience though, and when we got back home it was front page news in The Times! It was the worst flooding since 1960 something apparently.The only advice I'd give (apart from packing wellies if you're going from October onwards) is if you hear the siren in the morning, be prepared for the flooding and the restrictions it will present. But its all part of the Venetian experience and we still talk about it whenever we reminisce about that visit!